NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS N e w s Native Plant Society of Texas, North Central Chapter P Newsletter S Vol 31, Number 8, August 2019 O ncc npsot newsletter logo newsletter ncc npsot © 2018 Troy & Martha Mullens & Martha © 2018 Troy Purple Coneflower — Echinacea sp. T Meeting in August Aug 1, 2019 program will be Native gardens of our members “Native gardens of our members” Normal Meeting Times: 6:00 Social, 6:30 Business 7:00 Program Redbud Hall Deborah Beggs Moncrief Garden Center Fort Worth Botanic Garden Chapter of the Year (2016/17) Visit us at This year our presenters will be Karen Harden, Kim Conrow and Vicki Kygar who will take us on fun and informative ncnpsot.org & photo tours of their native gardens in various seasons. www.txnativeplants.org Index Chapter Leaders Flower of the Month, False Dragonhead by Josephine Keeney ........................................ p. 3f President — Karen Harden Demonstration Gardens [email protected] by Josephine Keeney ,,,,,,.......................,,,,,,,,, p. 5ff Past President — Kim Conrow Activities & Volunteering for July 2019 Vice President & Programs — by Martha Mullens ....................................... p. 8ff Ray Conrow Membership by Donna Honkomp ............................ p. 10 Recording Secretary — Debbie Stilson Purple Coneflower, NICE! Plant of the Season Treasurer — Vanessa Wojtas by Dr. Becca Dickstein ..................................... p. 11 Answer to last month’s puzzle and a new puzzle ...... p. 12 Hospitality Chair — Corinna Benson “August Calendar” Page by Troy Mullens ................. p. 13 Membership Chair — Donna Honkomp Butterfly Magnets by Erika Choffel ........................... p. 14f Events Chair — Chairperson needed NPSOT Symposium Grant ......................................... p. 16 NICE! Coordinator — Rozanna Francis Ft. Worth Nature Center & Refuge awarded grant ... p. 16 Plant Sales Coordinators - Gailon Hardin, Officer Nominations by Eric Johnson ....................... p. 16 Sandy Fountain & Josephine Keeney Standing Rules Revisions by Martha Mullens ......... p. 16 Education/Outreach Chair — Bill Freiheit Volunteers needed for Home & Garden Show By Vanessa Wojtas ........................................... p. 17 Webmaster — Frank Keeney Hospitality Report by Corinna Benson .................... p. 17 Field Trips — Eric Johnson Wild Poinsettia by Martha Mullens .......................... p. 18f Speaker’s Bureau — Theresa Thomas Plant Communication by Martha Mullens .............. p. 20f Donations/Grants Chair — Laura Penn Native Host Plants for Texas Butterflies Parliamentarian — Martha Mullens By Martha Mullens .......................................... p. 22f Facebook Manager — Sandra Fountain Parting Shots, News & Views by the Editors Newsletter Editor — Troy Mullens (Take Note: Important news here !) ............... p. 24ff NC Texas Pollinator Garden Plants ........................... p. 28 [email protected] Worth repeating ....... Assistant Newsletter Editor — Half-Earth Pledge by E.O. Wilson ................. p. 29 Martha Mullens Join NPSOT, Mission Statement, May Program ....... p. 30 Southwest Subcourthouse Garden Leaders Gailon Hardin & Dawn Hancock Native Plant Gardens at the Southwest Regional Library Leaders — Theresa Thomas & Char McMorrow Molly Hollar Wildscape Garden Leader — Ann Knudsen News Flash Fielder House Garden Leaders — ******************** Josephine Keeney & Jane Osterhuis Publicity Chair — Vicki Gleason Watch your native plants. NLCP Classes Coordinator — With the hot weather, Merita Knapp They may need & Martha Mullens Troy ©2017 a little extra water. (Especially young ones) False Dragonhead — Flower of the Month for August Story & Photographs by Josephine Keeney False Dragonhead, Physostegia digitalis Lamiaceae (Mint Family) This lovely strong plant is one of the obedient plant group. The leaves which are oval shaped distinguish it from other obedient plants which have leaves that are long and pointed. The pink flowers are large and the flower spikes are very large with many side-blooming shoots that sometimes bloom at the leaf nodes, all along the stem. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds and even little lizards perhaps looking for a meal. It can reach 3-6 feet in height and presents a very impressive display during the hot days of summer, when other plants are taking a break. This perennial grows best in part shade and likes plenty of water during hot spells since its natural habitat is moist areas or close to water. More Photos on Page 4 August 2019 NPSOT News North Central Texas Chapter Page 3 False Dragonhead — Flower of the Month for August Continued from Page 3 Photos by Josephine Keeney Do you see the anole looking for a meal ? August 2019 NPSOT News North Central Texas Chapter Page 4 Demonstration Gardens by Josephine Keeney Fielder House - Garden Tour and Presentation Our Garden Tour and Presentation were a great success! 53 brave people showed up in spite of the heat and a few people had to stand because the room couldn’t hold that many chairs. It is very rewarding to see people wanting to learn about Texas Native Plants for Pollinators, so it looks like our work is well received, and we haven’t labored in vain. The full house Hester Schwarzer our Greeter Kim Conrow and Charley Amos Fielder House Garden Tour Photos (cont. Next page) August 2019 NPSOT News North Central Texas Chapter Page 5 Demonstration Gardens by Josephine Keeney Fielder House Garden Tour Photos People checking out plants. More checking of plants The Garden Gate The happy butterflies Josephine Keeney and Corinna Benson August 2019 NPSOT News North Central Texas Chapter Page 6 Demonstration Gardens by Josephine Keeney OS Gray Natural Area Jane Oosterhuis and Josephine Keeney with zexmenia, horsemint, flame acanthus and sunflowers. August 2019 NPSOT News North Central Texas Chapter Page 7 August 2019 Activities - by Martha Mullens BRIT Registration Required. Sat., Aug. 3 10 AM-3 PM Compost Master Class ($75 members/$85 non-members) Sat., Aug. 3 10 AM-12 PM Water Efficient Lawns & Landscape Care ($20 members/$25 nonmembers) There will be numerous classes available in September. Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge fwnaturecenter.org. ($5 Fee Non-members, Members Free:) Weekends: 9-11:00 AM Nature Hikes August 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 Wednesdays: 9-11:00 AM Walk with Naturalist August 7, 14, 21, 28 Sun., Aug. 4 1:30-3:00 PM Snakes Sat., Aug. 17 1:30-3:00 PM Edible Plants Sat., Aug. 24 10:30-11:30 AM Tenacious Texan (prickly pear) Sun., Aug. 25 1:30-3:00 PM Invading Organisms Sat., Aug. 31 1:30-2:30 PM Women of Wildlife Native Prairies Association of Texas Fort Worth Chapter Northwest Campus TCC, Fort Worth Room WACB 1123 Mon., August 12. No meetup Wed., Aug. 21 Benbrook Lake-Environmentally Sensitive Area Designation Cross Timbers Master Naturalist FWBG Mon., Aug.19 7PM Grapevine’s Sea Turtle Rescue Hospital Krista Huebner Tarrant County Master Gardener Association Thurs., Aug. 1 10 AM Mike Tinius, Tinius Floral House Plants 101, 102 and 103 Sat., Aug. 3 9:30-11:30 AM NRH Fall Gardening Seminar, NRH Library Thurs., Aug. 15 7-8 PM Native & Drought Tolerant Landscape, Grapevine BG North Central Chapter of Native Plant Society of Texas Thurs., August 1 6:30 PM 3 members will discuss their native gardens . Board Meeting: August 27 6:30 PM FWBG No field trips will be scheduled until weather is cooler. See page 24 for potential fall field trips. Volunteer Opportunities Cont. on Page 9 August 2019 NPSOT News North Central Texas Chapter Page 8 August 2019 Volunteer* Opportunities - by Martha Mullens Continued from Page 8 Volunteer* at our Demonstration Gardens Fielder House Butterfly Garden 1616 W Abram St, Arlington Leaders: Josephine Keeney, Jane Osterhuis, Charlie Amos 2nd & 4th Mondays 9-12 August 12, 26 Molly Hollar Wildscape Veterans Park, Arlington Leader: Ann Knudsen (Josephine Keeney) 1st Sat: August 3 (most Saturdays) Every Wed.: August 7, 14, 21, 28 9 AM-noon Knapp Heritage Park Pollinator Garden 201 West Front Street, Arlington First Monday: August 5 9 AM-noon (contact Josephine Keeney) River Legacy Park 701 NW Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington Volunteer Manager: Sherrie Ripple 3rd Monday: August 19 9 AM-noon (contact Josephine Keeney) Opportunities on website: riverlegacy.org or call 817-860-6752 ext. 109 or [email protected] 817-459-5474 OS Gray Natural Area 2nd Saturday: August 10 9 AM-noon (contact Josephine Keeney) Native Plant Gardens at SW Regional Library at Hulen 8 AM-noon, 4001Library Ln, Fort Worth Leaders: Theresa Thomas, Char McMorrow 2nd & 4th Thursdays: August 8, 22 SW Tarrant Co. Sub Courthouse* 8:00AM-12:00 PM 6551 Granbury Rd, Fort Worth Leaders: Gailon Hardin, Dawn Hancock 2nd Sat.: August 10 last Wed.: August 28 * Workdays were missed due to weather so weeding will be every Wed. and Sat. at 8 AM Volunteer at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge 9601 Fossil Ridge Rd, Fort Worth 76135 Volunteer Coordinator: Laura Veloz fwnc.org 817-392-7410 Volunteer Positions: Docent, Outdoor Conservationist (Natural Guard). Restoration Greenhouse, Visitor Center Host, Special Events, Animal Care Volunteer at White Settlement Monarch Waystation Leaders: Sandy Fountain, Merita Knapp 3rd Sat. August 17 Volunteer for Native Prairies Association fortworthnpat.wordpress.com Volunteer Needs Cont. on Page 10 August 2019 NPSOT News North Central Texas Chapter Page 9 July 2019 Volunteer* Opportunities - by Martha Mullens Continued from Page 9 Volunteer at BRIT 1700 University Dr, Fort Worth 76107 Director of